barnes



(No Model.)

7W. P. BARNE 4 Sheets--Sheet 1'.

S, I. S. MURRAY 85 L. LUCIA.

MAILING MACHINE.

Patented Sept. 15, 1891.

W m rs 9 s WN &, 5,

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

W. P. BARNES, I. S.'MURRAY & L. LUCIA.

MAILING MACHINE.

No. 459,387.. Patented Sept. 15,1891.

ma COMPANY 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

W. F. BARNES, I. s. MURRAY & L. LUCIA.

MAILING MACHINE.

No. 459,387. "Patented Sept. 15, 1891.

me NATIONAL umoamwma cuMPAuY.

4 Sheets -Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

W. F. BARNES, I. S. MURRAY 82; L. LUCIA.

. MAILING MACHINE- Patented Sept. 15,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

WILLIAM F. BARNES, IRVING SCOTT MURRAY, AND Lotus LUCIA, on

ORLANDO, FLORIDA; SAID BARNES ASSIGNOR To SAID LUCIA... I

MAILING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,387, dated September 15, 1892' Application filed July 8, 189i). Serial No. 358,043. (No model.)

To aZZ wit/0172, it may concern.-

Be it known that'we, WILLIAM F. BARNES, IRVING SCOTT MURRAY, and LOUIS LUCIA, of Orlando, in the county of Orange and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mailing-lilachines;

- and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

()ur invention relates to an improvement in mailing-machines. Addressing is accomplished entirely (except when written) by using type. Each subscribers name and address is 'setup in type form, ready to be printed at each issue of the paper or matter to be mailed. This has to be kept in type continually, as it is liable to be changed at any time, thereby keeping a large amount of type .for mailing purposes. After the subscribers address is in type there are two methods of transferring the same to the paper to be sent him: First, a machine is used to make the impression on the paper directly from the type; but owing to the varying thickness of folded papers a very heavy pressure is necessary that all should be clearly printed, which quickly ruins the face of the type; second, this is to print at every issue the entire list on an ordinary printing-press on strips of paper in order to save this wear on the type. These strips are .then rolled up, inserted in a machine that feeds each address out one at a time, cutting it off from the roll, and pasting it on the paper or other matter to be mailed. The object of our invention is to avoid the use of type and have the list of subscribers addresses arranged in such manner as to occupy but little space and convenient to work with, so that additions and corrections can be cheaply and quickly made, and also that a machine may print any number of addresses desired.

A further object of our invention is to provide a simple machine of few parts and convenient size capable of printing any number of addresses on newspapers or other articles.

A further object is to provide for easily changin g one belt of names for another, or for removing 'or inserting names at any time oc casion may require it, so that the names may be kept in their proper belt, preferably according to towns, counties, wards, or states, as the case may be.

-\Vith these ends in view our invent-ionv for the plates constituting the belts, whereby I plates may be removed and new ones inserted, accordingly as the subscription-list changes from time to time.

It further consists in a novel inking fountain or roll, means for raising the paper. out of the reach of the dies as soon as the platen which forces them against the dies is re-.

moved, and in certain other novel features of construction and'co'mbina'tions of parts, as

will be hereinafter described, andpointed out in the claims.

. y I '75 In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig 3 is a transverse'section through one of the spindles." Fig. 1 is a view of the end of the band, showingthe means of attaching mailingb'elt. Fig. 5 is a sectionthroughthe inking-fountain. Figs. 6,7, and 8 are views of different forms of die-plates. Fig. 9 shows one of the connecting-links." Fig. 10' is ahoriz'ontal section taken through the reversible spindles, and Fig. 11 isa detail.

A represents a'table supported on suitable standards 12 12, and the latter-are preferably screwed at their lower ends to abase 11. The table is provided at or near its center with an opening 13, and the metal plate hasasmall transverse opening 13 in its center, through which the printing is done as the dies traverse it. At each end of the opening 13 depending hangers 15 are formed integral with the.

metal plate, and in these hangers the trunnionsofthe impression-drum B are'journaled. At each end of the opening a hanger 15 is secured to the under face of the plate,in which hangers the trunnions of the impressiondrum B are journaled. If, however, itis found wheel 18 and 19 is keyed or' otherwise secured,

the ratchet-wheel 18 serving as a feed-wheel and the other as astop-wheel,'being used in connection with a pawl 18 p,ermitting the drum to be revolved in one direction only.

Upon the trunnion carrying the stop ratchetwheel 19 a pulley 20 is fastened, over which a belt passes to the spindle B. There is a depression ai'ound'the circumference of drum at each end between sprocket-wheel to accommodate the bottomof link, so that the plate will rest squarely on the squared surfaces. Upon the top of the upper table ahammer 21 is located, comprising a platen not sufficient size to cover the opening 13 in the said table, a shank a and-a knob a or its equivalent, secured to and forming an integral portion of the upper part of the said shank. 'lhishammer is adjustably attached to the inner end of an arm 22, Whichinner end is bifurcated, comprising a substantially straight member 23 and a curved member2ai, provided with a set-screw 25 therein. The straight member 23 of thearm is pivotally secured to the shank a ofthe hammer, and the curvedmember is adj ustably attached to the said shank through the medium of a .curved slot 25 in the shank, through which the set-screw. passes, whereby the hammer when elevated may be made to descend perpendicularly or at an angle to the table, as the character of the matter to be mailed may demand. The shank a. is also provided with a curved lug a which lies between the ends of the arm22. This lug forms a stop for the shank by strikingagainst the crotch between the members 23 and 24:. The

arm 22 is'm'ade to ext-end rearward over the table 10, and the outer end of the said arm is projected perpendicularly downward, as illustrated at 26 ,-within ayhousing 27, which housing is inserted in andprojected perpendicu; larly downward below the table, as is also best shown 'ingFig 1. .In the said housing 27 the perpendicular, member of the arm 22 is pivoted at or near its center, and the inner end of the armcarrying the hammer is normally held in the elevated position, whereby the hammer is normally sustained'above the table by a coil or other form of spring 28, attached at one end-to the table'and at the otherendto the; side of the arm lat 'or near. thejvertical member 26.. p H a p v {l-o'thelower end. .of the vertical member 26 of the arm 22, one endof. a push-rod2'9 is pivoted, which push rod.. i s made to pass through and slide in a bracket or stud 30, secured to the under side of the table, and the inner end of thesaid push rod is adapted,

.when the arm 22 is in its nor'malor elevated 18 that it will revolve the same one tooth each time the platen is being elevated. The inner end of the push-rod 29 is sustained by a strap-spring 31, secured to the under side of 'the'bracket or post 30 atone end, the other end bearing against the under face of the rod, as best shown in Fig. 1. This spring is of light tension, the tension of the spring being only suiiicient to sustain the inner end of the push-rod in a horizontal position. The forward movement of the push-rod 29 is limited by a sleeve 32, rigidly secured-npon the said rod and adapted to contact with the post or bracket 30 at the inward plunger of the rod.

, Upon the upper surface-of the table, to'the rear of the base 'of' the hammer,a guide-block 33 is located, whichextends transversely position, to so contact withtheratche't-wheel from'side to side of thc'table, and theends of the block are carried perpendicularly downward to contact with the side edges of passed .throu'gh onejor both of the perpendicular members of the block. matter is pushed against this block, so that the address will appear insame placeon all pieces, and by shitting' it the address canbe I printed on anydesired place on the matter. Forward of'thetableopening 13 an ink- IIOO ing-roller' 35 is jonrnaled transversely-beneath the table in suitable hangers 36. i This ink-w 9 the said table. The block is adjustably secured bymeans of a set or thumb screw 34,-

The mailing-roller is illustrated in detail in Fig. 5, and

Both cylinders are provided with heads, and removable 'trunnions 39 are screwed into or formed integral with the heads of the utercylinder.' The outer cylinder is provided with a series of longitudinally-arranged peripheral apertures 40, and the inner cylinder is also provided with like apertures 41. The

consists of an outer tubular cylinder 37 and I an inner tubular cylinder 38 fitted thereto.

outer cylinder is provided with adjustable collars 40 40, and the flanges on these col-.

lars, being slightly" curved outward. at the outer edge, are adapted to guide the belt inits passage over the. roller andare' made ad justable by a set-screw in the collar to engage face of roller. The inner cylinder is-held to,

turnfreely in the outer cylinder and is pivoted to the head of the latter at one end,-the

other end being provided with an attached.

horizontal pin 42, which pin projects outward tlirougha curved slot 43, formed in one head of the outer cylinder. In practice the outer cylinder is covered with a flannel belt or other absorbent material adapted, to re- 'ceive and communicate the ink to the mailfing-belt. By reason of this construction of the inking-roller, when the pin 42 is carried to one end of the slot 43'the apertures in the inner cylinder, which contains the ink, are made to -register with theapertures in the =outer cylind'eiy'and the ink is permitted to flow froni'the latter to its covering. By carrying the pin to the other end of the slot the apertures in the cylinders are thrown out of registry and the ink ceases to flow.

Between the standards 12 two removable bobbins or spindles B B are jonrnaled. The spindles or bobbins are journaled between the standards, and this is eifected by giving to one extremity of the spindle a conical shape adapted to enter a socket 47 upon the inner face of one of the standards 12, as shown in Fig. 3, and in the opposite end of the spin die a depression is made adapted to receive the conical end of a set-screw 48, which setscrew is passed through the opposite standard 12 to a contact with thedepression in the spindle. Upon each spindle at the end contiguous to the set-screw a pulley 49 is secured, the pulley of the rear spindle being connected by a belt 50 with the pulley upon the drumtrnnnion. These spindles are thus capable of being reversed by removing and interchanging them.

The mailing-belt 1) comprises a series of metal plates 51, preferably steel, which plates are preferably of a width essentially equal to the width of the peripheral faces of the drum.

These plates may be differently constructed, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8; but the preferred form is that shown in Fig. 8, in which notches dd are formed in the ends of the plates to receive the teeth on the drum, and in this connection it may be mentioned that the tendency of the bobbins or spindles is to draw the mailing-belt over a trifle too far forward with each motion; but by means of the teeth entering the notches the belt is stopped at the right position each time and the driving-belt 50 slips on its pulleys the required distance to compensate for this slight irregularity in gearing. A narrow and transverse slot e e is connected with each notch (Z d by narrow openings f f between the projections g g. The links it hare preferably flattened or made thin at a" 'i to pass through the openings ff, the balance of the link being thicker than this passage, so that when the belt is stretched out or in operation and the links are in their normal position there is no liability of the belt coming apart. By means of this construction the plates may be readily removed from or inserted in the belt by laying one plate to the back of the other, then pass the link at 7." through the opening f and pull the link lengthwise over the end of plate, and the plates can then be pulled forward into position. The slots e e are placed just far enough from end of plate to allow the link to be of suifiment length to be passed lengthwise over the end of the plate and yet draw the plates close together.

Inthe form shown in Fig. 6 a slight change is-..hown. In this construction the links are preferably of the same thickness throughout, but the slots are made slightly different, as shown, they being a continuation of the inner ends of the notches and inwardly inclined and without the projections. In the other construction shown in Fig. 7 small slots are formed simply to receive the teeth on the wheel. The plates in this instance are provided with holes is k to receive the links,

which are pieces of annealed wire inserted in holes'k'k and then bent against surface of plate. To each of these plates or strips of metal we preferably attach a rubber pad 54,

The belt D may contain any number of united strips or plates desirable, the length of thebelt being preferably such that when wound upon the spindle it will conveniently accommodate the addresses belonging to such division of the subscription-list as that particular belt may represent. The mailing-belt has a removable section at each end of sufficient length to reach from" either spindle or bobbin to the drum, and this is made detachable by hook and'eye or equivalent means, as shown. Each spindlealso is provided with a short strip secured thereto, to the outer end of which the section is hooked. The other end of'section is provided with hooks to catch in the notch (Z of the last plate in mailing-belt.

The paper, envelope, or other article to be addressed is placed beneath the hammer over the pad, when the hammer is pressed downward and the impression taken. When the hammer is released and returns to its normal position, the push-rod 29 forces the feed ratchet-wheel 18 around one tooth, which revolvesthe drum sufiiciently to bring the next pad uppermost and beneath the hammer. The revolution of the drum also turns the belt 50, whereby the empty spindle is revolved and the slack of the belt taken up thereon. Thus the operation is repeated indefinitely or until impressions have been taken from every pad upon the list or belt, whereupon the empty spindle is placed between the rear standards, the spindle upon which the'belt has been re- 'wound being removed, and another spindle containing another list is placed between the forward standards and this belt attached to the band, the opposite end of which is then fastened to the rear spindle, and the operation of taking the impression is resumed. In this way the names on-the belts may be confined as most convenient.

In recesses on the table slight springs are secured, they being adapted to raise the paper as soon as stamped, and the platen is removed so that it will not be blurred.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a mailing-machine, the combination,

ed to require such reversal of parts when interchanged, and a mailingbelt connected with the spindle, substantially as set forth.

The combination, with a frame, of a pair of spindles or bobbins having conical ends adapted to enter sockets in the frame, setscrews adapted to be screwed into the oppo site ends, pulleys on one end of the spindles,

said spindles being removable, reversible, and

interchangeable, and a mailing-belt detachably secured to the spindles, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a pair of interchangeable and reversible spindles, of bands secured to the latter, and a mailing-belt having detachable sections on its ends adapted to be detachably secured to the bands on the spindles, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with reversible spindles having pulleys thereon and an impression-drum having teeth thereon, of a mailingbelt having holes therein to receive the teeth on the drum, and a driving-belt passing from the drum over the pulley on one of said spindles, said belt adapted to drive the spindles and the teeth adapted to stop the mailingbelt at the proper place regardless of the movement of the spindles, substantially as set forth.

0. In a mailing-machine, an inking-roller consisting of an inner and an outer concentrio hollow cylinder, each provided with a head at both ends, the inner cylinder being journal'ed in the outer cylinder and both cylinders provided with a series of longitudinal apertures, the inner cylinder being also provided with an adj usting-pin integral with one edge and extending through a slot in the head of the outer cylinder, and the outer cylinder having at each end an adjustable collar thereon, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, With a table and a printing-drum, of a spring'actuated arm bifurcated at its free end and having a setscrew in one of the members, of a platen having a stem thereon, with a lug thereouand a curved slot therein in which the set-screw works, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NVILTAIAM F. BARNES. IRVING SCOTT MURRAY. LOUIS LUCIA. Witnesses:

WM. MARTIN, J. M. LANE. 

